Lions suffer another injury blow as star major doubt for first Test
Two key back-three players are expected to not feature in the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday
Mack Hansen in action for the British and Irish Lions
(Image: Getty Images )
Mack Hansen is a major injury doubt for the British and Irish Lions first Test against the Wallabies this weekend, having missed training in Brisbane on Tuesday.
The Ireland winger picked up an injury against the AUNZ XV on Saturday, forcing him to sit out the Lions' training session today. On Monday, assistant coach John Dalziel had denied the Connacht star was injured - but the Lions have now confirmed he's a doubt for the first Test with Australia.
'He hurt his foot in the game," said Lions assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth on Tuesday. "I don't think it is anything serious but he was managed today.
"Hopefully he will be fully integrated pretty quickly. It is nothing that we are over concerned about but we need to make sure we have enough numbers at training but it doesn't look too serious."
The Lions didn't rule out Hansen, who would have been competing with England's Tommy Freeman for a spot on the right wing - although it seems unlikely he'll be involved after missing training. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for the exclusive five-week tour diary from Japan and Australia.
The Lions are due to name their team on Thursday for the first Test at Suncorp Stadium.
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'We'll find out tomorrow,' said Wigglesworth. 'He didn't train fully today, but we'll find out a bit more tomorrow.
'If they get on the field tomorrow, then they're right in contention. We've not finalised everything yet. A doubt is anyone who didn't train fully today but he's definitely not ruled out.'
Earlier this week, the Lions had called up Scotland's Darcy Graham as cover - with the wing arriving in camp well before compatriots Rory Sutherland and Ewan Ashman.
While those two will join up in Melbourne from Sunday ahead of the Lions' midweek clash with the First Nation and Pasifika XV, Graham was called for immediately - having been sent off for two yellow cards in Scotland's defeat to Fiji last Saturday.
On Tuesday, Wigglesworth was asked if Hansen's injury was the reason that Graham arrived in Australia yesterday.
'Potentially," he said. "We needed to make sure we're covered numbers-wise and for the games coming up, so that was probably a bit quicker because of Blair Kinghorn and Mack not being on feet today and potentially tomorrow.'
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Wigglesworth said that the Lions have still not ruled Scotland's Kinghorn out of first Test contention.
The full-back is carrying a knee injury and, like Hansen, didn't train on Tuesday.
'We'll have to see tomorrow what he looks like," said Wigglesworth. "He hasn't trained fully with the squad but he has been on his feet, so we will know a bit more in the 24 hours whether we can get him on the field.'
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